How to cook Instant Pot sweet potatoes tender, fluffy, and perfect. No peeling or chopping makes pressure cooker sweet potatoes even faster!
This recipe makes the best sweet potatoes to serve a few ways. Use them as baked potatoes for a smart side dish to air fryer whole chicken or broiled salmon. Or, serve them mashed with roasted turkey breast dinner.
Cooking sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot is a game changer. It's the easiest, hands-off way to steam sweet potatoes so they're perfectly cooked to the right texture every time. Serve them as a baked side dish with butter, salt, and pepper, or prep them as an ingredient for buddha bowls, salads, and mashed potatoes.
Why we love to steam sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot
I know it's super easy to boil water on the stove and cook potatoes. But, just like Instant Pot mashed potatoes, pressure cooker sweet potatoes are a cook's best friend for several reasons.
- Steaming sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot is super convenient because there's no waiting for water to boil and no carrying heavy pots of hot water.
- Say goodbye to overheating your kitchen.
- This is a great way to meal prep for other recipes.
- No peeling, dicing, or chopping because you cook the potatoes whole.
- This recipe makes perfectly cooked potatoes every time.
- Multiple serving options – baked potato with butter, mashed potatoes, or as a buddha bowl ingredient.
How to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot
Get the full printable instructions below.
Scrub the skins. No need to pierce, chop, or peel, unless you prefer to do so.
Place the whole potatoes on a trivet inside the cooker and add water. Use 1 cup water for 3 or 6 quart Instant Pot. Use 2 cups water for 8 or 10 quart pot.
Close the lid and pressure cook using the time chart and steam release instructions in the recipe card below.
Open the lid and test the sweet potatoes. If a paring knife easily sinks to the center with a gentle push, they're done. If there is resistance, pressure cook the potatoes an additional 1 or 2 minutes until they pass the knife test.
Recipe tips
- No peeling potatoes for this method, even if you're making mashed sweet potatoes. If you want them peeled, wait until after they cook and the skins will come right off.
- No need to pierce the potatoes for this method. The skin might split on the surface a little bit here and there, but I've never had a potato explode in the Instant Pot.
- Try to use similar sized potatoes because they require similar cooking times and you won't over/under cook any of them.
- Using a trivet with pressure cooker sweet potatoes isn't required, but it positions them above the water. This allows the them to steam and prevents them from becoming soggy.
- If your Instant Pot sweet potatoes aren't fully cooked after the cycle is complete, simply pressure cook them in additional 1 or 2 minute intervals, and use either quick release or natural steam release.
Other pressure cooker vegetables you'll love
Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- 6 quart Instant Pot or other size
- trivet for Instant Pot optional
INGREDIENTS
- 3 (1 pound) Sweet Potatoes, or as many as you can fit
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
- Set a trivet in the pressure cooker. Stack SWEET POTATOES on the trivet and add WATER.If using an 8 or 10 quart cooker, add 1 extra cup of water.
- Close and lock the lid, turn pressure valve knob to the “Sealing” position. Select MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK for the following cook times:10 min pressure cook for 8-12 ounces (small)15 min pressure cook for 12-16 ounces (medium)20 min pressure cook for 16+ ounces (large)
- When the pressure cook cycle completes, allow the cooker to sit undisturbed for a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR). Carefully release any remaining steam.
- Open the lid and insert a sharp knife into the potatoes to test for softness. If they give resistance, repeat pressure cook cycle in 2 or 3 minute intervals as needed until they're soft to your liking.
- Transfer potatoes out of the cooker and serve warm as a baked potato side or use for other recipes.
- To store, or allow to cool, remove the skin, and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
NUTRITION
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
Jeffrey says
Pressure cooker sweet potatoes really are game changer. I love how they're steamed and not boiled because the texture is just better all around and I can use them for so many things. Thanks for another winner KG!